Higher Education mini Expo

This weeks Higher Education mini Expo hosted by HEWA and ECU was given rave reviews by those who attended. The expo was held at ECU's Mt Lawley campus in one of their lecture theatres which was filled to capacity with over 130 home edders in attendance. The initial part of this workshop involved presentations from UWA, ECU, Curtin, Notre Dame, Murdoch Universities, Cyril Jackson Senior College, Tuart College and Central Institute (Tafe). All discussed the various paths open to home educators who wish to access higher education. Nearly all faculties offer portfolio entry along with a STAT test. Click here for more detail on STAT testing. STAT testing is available to home ed students who receive a letter of endorsement from their prefered University.

Enrolling in an Enabling Course is another pathway for entry in to university. The only prerequiste for these courses is students must be 17.5 year of age. Most courses are free and involve 6 to 12 months study which can be done online or on campus. Students can register for these courses through the TISC websitefor courses commencing 1st semester or directly with the relevant university for mid year intakes. Enabling or UniReady course give students a notional ATAR based on their course work and exams. Click hereto see contact information for the various universities and senior campuses.

HEWA will be running another of these expo's mid 2015.

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What About Socialisation?

This is one of the most frequently asked 'frequently asked question' about home education. It is important to question whether the social needs of children are properly met through exposure to hundreds of other children for long periods of time, as occurs in a formal schooling environment.

Prior to the advent of modern education, children were not socialised in this way. It is also unlike the world our children will experience when they emerge as adult contributors to society. Rather, a child's social needs are often more fully met through interaction with their direct and extended families and as they mingle with their community. This involves exposure to people of varying ages in real world contexts, whereas interaction in school is largely restricted to a single, narrow age band in an environment which offers limited experience. Home educators believe that, far from disadvantaging their children socially, education at home gives them a social advantage, with an ability to communicate with all age groups and an absence of the restraint of negative peer pressure. - from Home Education Australia

Defining socialisation

When people talk about socialisation and social skills, what do they really mean?

a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behaviour, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position.

to convert, conform or adapt to the needs of society.

Socialisation therefore, is a process of learning the norms of society, learning one’s ‘social position’ and status in society and learning to conform or adapt to the demands of society. Schools do an admirable job of socialising children to fit within the demands of society - indeed, it’s one of their primary purposes.

People often confuse socialisation with forced association. Placing people together in an artificial situation is not socialisation and it certainly isn’t social skills. People also sometimes socialisation when they actually mean social skills.

For some children, institutionalised learning exposes them to unhealthy forms of socialisation such as competition that encourages getting ahead at the expense of others, individualism where helping others may be seen as cheating, social status such as a social pecking order and popularity issues, going with the crowd, anti-social behaviour from a sense of self-preservation, the need to be a good boy/girl in order to please authority or receive reward, not questioning, not trusting our intuition or feelings, consumerist or elitist thinking, conformity, unhealthy relationships, communication or problem-solving.